posted at 9:27 pm on March 26, 2012 by Allahpundit

An odd line in the course of an otherwise solid attack on Obama’s dumb “hot mic” comment this morning. As you’ll see, he has something specific in mind with the term “foe” and it’s not equivalent to “threat,” but I think most people who see the soundbite version of this clip will understand it that way and come away puzzled. If you gut-check Americans on what our biggest foreign-policy problem is, the answers you’re most likely to get, I’ll bet, are Iran, Pakistan/Al Qaeda, and China. Russia is, as Romney says, frequently a stumbling block to America’s agenda abroad — look no further than Syria — but I think most of the public sees it as a fading power whose primacy of place in U.S. threat assessments was lost after the Cold War. Seems odd for the presumptive GOP nominee to suddenly name them public enemy number one.

Doesn’t much matter, as the point here is to attack Obama, not Russia, and Romney does a good job of it. Can’t wait for that first Romney/Putin summit, though. Oh well: At least our “number one geopolitical foe” won’t be surprised when European missile defense is suddenly back in vogue.

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No, you are very problematic and predictable…. a campaign slogan is not policy! Only Obama supporters haven’t taken to Romney.

dmann on March 26, 2012 at 11:45 PM

If you read entire reads for comments, you won’t make mistakes like the one you just made there. You took someone conceding an action by Mitt Romney to be a step in the right direction and insulted them.

I’ll never understand his supporters. JannyMae the other night was making a somewhat pro-Romney supportive remarks but someone thought it was more important to try to rub her nose in some previous comment she’d made. It does make you wonder about the tin foil comments people make about people like bluegill actually trying to drive support away from Mitt Romney.

So, if that’s why you brought it up, then why didn’t you just say so? Why do you have to call sharrukin a dolt and an idiot? Maybe because you are a self-absorbed, egotistical little bully, who needs to boost her own self esteem by acting superior to other people?

Don’t worry, I’m not stating that as truth, it’s just what my intuition tells me.

I’m just now getting over that feckless McCain and will have to support Romney as the alternative is just awful. So I need to be kicked in the nuts a little by his supporters to make certain I don’t waver.

No, CP dances around the steps needed to defeat Obama. Like many others on this site the mythical conservative purity test matters more that ousting Obama. If there was some slight of word sarcasm involved…I flew right by. I’ll wait for CP’s response. I do appreciate your input and will backtrack………….

So, if that’s why you brought it up, then why didn’t you just say so? Why do you have to call sharrukin a dolt and an idiot? Maybe because you are a self-absorbed, egotistical little bully, who needs to boost her own self esteem by acting superior to other people?

Don’t worry, I’m not stating that as truth, it’s just what my intuition tells me.

JannyMae on March 27, 2012 at 12:07 AM

What do you think this means? Note the bold type:

Ironically, the first thing I thought of reading Allah’s take was when Palin (not Tina Fey) said: “I can see Russia…”. She thinks their a threat. No? They’re the movers and shaker and bankers and bakers behind Iran, Syria et al…
Buy Danish on March 26, 2012 at 10:39 PM

As for Sharrukin, world’s smallest violin time. He/she tells me I’m “ignorant” first, then says I’m “lying“, and to prove it uses the exact quote I had just provided. So, yeah, “dolt” was a perfectly apt response.

I’ve read a bit of the comments by that young ex-soldier smoothsailing who talked about he and his Mom working for a Romney campaign group in the primaries last time. He said he was asked if he had computer savvy and could he get on boards and post comments. I’m not sure what his politics are exactly, but it sounds like he was a bit disenfranchised by the campaign workers but not Romney. I can relate to his opinion because I was a lot in the same boat.

I was for Mitt Romney before McCain last time. I thought he was the more Conservative of the two. The Mav used to infuriate me before with his BS showboating to try to upstage President Bush. But once he got the nod, I supported him like he was my first choice. If Mitt Romney gets it this time I’ll do the same for him even though I don’t think he anything close to the most Conservative. It’s the last campaign with the GOP though. Whether we manage to unseat President Obama or not, I’m Conservative Party all the way next time. GOP doesn’t get a dime or a minute of support. And if they have a candidate to primary a President Romney, that wouldn’t be out of the question either.

I have been clear on my skepticism of Romney based on his past and present positions. I have stated that whomever is the GOP nominee gets my vote–even Ron Paul. To call me an Obama supporter because of my dissatisfaction with Romney is delusional.

And if they have a candidate to primary a President Romney, that wouldn’t be out of the question either.

hawkdriver on March 27, 2012 at 12:20 AM

I’m with you Hawk. All this election does is to dump Obama and give us some breathing room. I think most of us are fed up with the actions of both parties.
If you are still up I wanted to ask you a question about the AH-64 crash last week.

Tina Fey’s joke was. “I can see Russia from my house”. I specifically stated that I was not referring to Tina Fey’s version of what Palin said and I did not quote Tina Fey’s joke.

Buy Danish on March 26, 2012 at 11:53 PM

Ironically, the first thing I thought of reading Allah’s take was when Palin (not Tina Fey) said: “I can see Russia…”. She thinks their a threat. No? They’re the movers and shaker and bankers and bakers behind Iran, Syria et al…

I have no problem with what Ronbo said. His assessment is correct. Iran, North Korea etc are real threats, but Mother Russia is in the background pulling the strings. Anyone that doe not see that is ignorant of world affairs. What Obama said was nothing short of frightning.To paraphrase …. “If you think my first 4 years were something, you aint seen nothing yet”. If that does not scare the s*** out of you, what would?!!!

Perhaps Rommney should have used a word the actual definition of which more people are familiar, but that doesn’t make it “inarticulate.”
Dark Star on March 26, 2012 at 11:25 PM

maybe mittens should practice the James Earl Jones cure for stuttering and tone done the facial language. The text was fine, just watching the eyebrows moving more than the lips is well, inarticulate. Just saying ;)

anywhere on Drudge… Ohh Yeah… because Drudge has a blind spot the size of Russia in favor of Romney… And Romney’s BFF Paul will attack Newt and Santorum before he attacks Romney over calling Russia the “number one geopolitical foe”…

If Santorum would of said this it would be a top news story for 12+ hours…

Ironically, the first thing I thought of reading Allah’s take was when Palin (not Tina Fey) said: “I can see Russia…”. She thinks their a threat. No? They’re the movers and shaker and bankers and bakers behind Iran, Syria et al…

Stop digging. I said NOT TINA FEY. Palin was right about being able to see Russia from Alaska, and she was right that Russia is a threat.

No kidding! To prove me wrong, the idiot sharrukin uses the exact quote I used. Seriously, I can’t understand why some of you think blog commenting is an appropriate pastime when Romper Room is clearly the best place for you.
Tina Fey’s joke was. “I can see Russia from my house”. I specifically stated that I was not referring to Tina Fey’s version of what Palin said and I did not quote Tina Fey’s joke.
The fact is, Palin is strongly opposed to Obama’s missile policy, and this is a legitimate concern as Alaska’s proximity to Russia makes it vulnerable to a Russian (or Iranian?) missile strikewhich is why I brought it up.
Buy Danish on March 26, 2012 at 11:53 PM

Mebbe folks are so used to seeing you invoke Tina, you threw them off by actually hat tipping Sarah on the same. Sorta like mittbots going off on ABRs for concurring with Mittness when he’s right for once or twice.

Ironically, the first thing I thought of reading Allah’s take was when Palin (not Tina Fey) said: “I can see Russia…”. She thinks their a threat. No? They’re the movers and shaker and bankers and bakers behind Iran, Syria et al…

Buy Danish

TINA FEY…

“I can see Russia from my house.”

SARAH PALIN…

They’re our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska”

If you’ve ever seen the Discovery Channel Flying Wild Alaska u can see how close Russia’s Big Diomede is to Alaska’s Little Diomede… The pilots have to make sure they don’t cause an international incident when trying to land when taking supplies… Little Diomede is 2.4 miles from Big Diomede….

I completely agree! There is no better person in the country to turn around around our economy and restore American prestige to the world.

MJBrutus on March 27, 2012 at 5:26 AM

Yup, Obama’s caught making nuke deals with our mortal enemy and its still the economy that’s at risk?????

Not to worry, when mittens shows the Commies, the Mullahs, the Syrias, the neutered military, the “tribute-money” called abortion, his secret numbers that he cranks out on his Etch-a-sketch, oil and water will come together – Obama will lay down his soul for freedom of religion, reverse Obamacare, buy all of congress a beer and true hope and change will finally occur.

It’s hard to decide what is the largest geopolitical threat to the US, although Russia does get into the mix this is varying by month as different parts of the world go toxic.

The largest geoeconomic threat to the US, beyond our own internal insanities, are the insanities that are in Europe and China putting a large abyss of debt into the mix from them. Europe can’t paper over their problems and China is finding their wallpaper is now getting sucked down, as well.

The largest geomilitary threat is either Iran/NoKo and an EMP or the insurgency going on across the southern border deciding to spread north. The next deployment of combat troops may have the benefit, such as they are, of internal supply lines.

The largest geosocietal threat are the toxic Leftists and their billionaire buddies looking to run the planet. Mind you, they are showing on the start-up phase that they are perhaps less competent than the old International and National Socialists they are trying to subvert and unite. Call them Transnational Progressivists and for all their skill in global finance, they aren’t so hot about what it means to run much of anything by diktat. These sorts always think dictatorship is so easy, and then find things like long knives in their backs or defenestration in their future… and millions dead. These fine fools are competing against radical Islam that figures their god is on their side and are the ones looking to do the back stabbing and defenestrating. Which you would think the ever so smart Soros-types could see, but power is a set of blinders unlike any other.

Back to geopolitics it is the deal that Nations have no permanent allies, just permanent interests, and Russia still would love a direct warm water port. They aren’t getting it from Iran (although they do get a lovely radical Islamic pipeline of terrorists from them) and Syria would need an overland connection… say could someone nudge Turkey and ask them how they would like to be surrounded to the East and South by Russia? Yes it might require a few border provinces of Turkey to do that… or Iraq… and then Russia gets the Kurdish problem in its face, but that warm water port?

Really the next President had better learn to walk, chew gum, and then juggle chainsaws. It will be good practice for the next few years. Because Obama is doing his best to bring these all together by not being a leader for the Nation and, instead, project weakness and appeasement, globally. And that never, ever works to the advantage of those who show themselves as weak and appeasers. Ever.

Okay, first off, I did not see the “clip” Allah posted as I cannot see YouTube and “clips” off the internet over here in Afghanistan on my computer, HOWEVER, I watched the ENTIRE interview on CNN with Wolf on AFN and so I do not need to see what was excerpted for the clip.

Romney was absolutely 100% correct if you watch the ENTIRE interview and the QUESTION that Wolf posed to him. Romney said that Russia is our biggest (key word here) GEO-POLITICAL threat. He further explained that Russia sits on the UN Council and has the power to block and thwart our sanctions and other policies Western countries see fit to bring against Iran, Syria, et al…so YES, Russia, is our biggest GEO-POLITICAL Threat. If Romney was asked who is our biggest threat against terrorism it would have been a different answer.

So again, Allah, is attempting to make Romney look awkward or out-of-touch or whatever he was trying to do just is not going to work.

Mary Matalin followed Romney’s interview with Wolf and was on with Paul Begala and Wolf. Blitzer asked her the same question and Romney’s response and she said the EXACT same thing and said IF you listened to Gov Romney’s answer he was correct in that Russia IS America’s largest GEO-POLITICAL threat.

Romney is very presidential and was clearly grasping ANY and ALL questions that were posed to him by the MSM. He wasn’t swearing at Wolf for asking him tough questions.

Mittens isn’t ready. He needs to hit the books, maybe spend a couple of years in a think tank, and try again in ’16.

james23 on March 27, 2012 at 7:42 AM

That is ridiculous…Also unless you watched the entire interview you can see Romney was spot on with his response. As I said above, even Mary Matalin who followed him with Wolf agreed with Romney’s response.

Listen up you Clintonian jackass, Sarah Palin said “They’re our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.” to be exact. I went back and provided that exact quote. After providing her exact quote you went to Snopes, called me a liar, and proceeded to provide the exact same quote I had just provided.

The point is that SHE WAS RIGHT about Russia being a threat (despite Tina Fey’s idiotic joke about it, which I noted at the outset I NOT referring to).

What the hell is your point?

Mebbe folks are so used to seeing you invoke Tina, you threw them off by actually hat tipping Sarah on the same.
AH_C on March 27, 2012 at 1:03 AM

No doubt you and your friends had a knee-jerk reaction and chose to read my comment selectively. I have always credited Palin when I think she’s right. I have repeatedly said she is right on most policy issues, et cetera. My complaint with her since Iowa has to do with her undermining our candidates and scheming for a brokered convention, while letting it be known oh so coincidentally that she’s available. That is a legitimate point of contention, as it is a serious threat to our ability to defeat Barack Obama. Too bad she can see what a threat Russia is but can’t see how damaging a brokered convention would be. So the ironies abound…

maybe mittens should practice the James Earl Jones cure for stuttering and tone done the facial language. The text was fine, just watching the eyebrows moving more than the lips is well, inarticulate. Just saying ;)

AH_C on March 27, 2012 at 12:39 AM

Sorry but this made my chocolate milk come out through my nose: when Romney talks I see one of those graphics from the Monty Python Flying Circus where the bottom of the jaw moves and the eyes move back and forth. A shell that talks but has no core.

I do believe Romney is correct, Russia is our greatest geopolitical adversary in the world, pulling the strings to cause us grief when ever possible, if only to check our power which they fear.

However,..

Romney is very presidential and was clearly grasping ANY and ALL questions that were posed to him by the MSM. He wasn’t swearing at Wolf for asking him tough questions.

g2825m on March 27, 2012 at 7:35 AM

That was a bit unfair..

Santorum wasn’t just asked a tough question, he was deliberately misquoted by the reporter and called on it.. you can say his reaction wasn’t perfect in your view.. but that’s quite different from the apples and oranges of “He wasn’t swearing at Wolf for asking him tough questions.”…

At this point, gratuitous slaps at Santorum aren’t necessary.. they just inflame his supporters. Besides, I rather enjoyed someone finally telling the NYT’s the truth when they ask their strawman questions..

“The point here is to attack Obama, not Russia, and Romney does a good job of it.” Well said. Now, if we could just get the RNC to understand this, maybe we could all set our sights on Obama and put an end to bored reporters trying to get Santorum to scream one of the seven dirty words at them … http://bit.ly/qVdDUt

I’m supportive of the Governors answer, but make no mistake, he attacks Russia here by calling them our number one enemy. And Rick Santorum hardly screamed. I liked that exchange too. I wish all of our public figures were as terse with the media.

maybe we could all set our sights on Obama and put an end to bored reporters trying to get Santorum to scream one of the seven dirty words at them … http://bit.ly/qVdDUt

ombdz on March 27, 2012 at 9:08 AM

It wasn’t that academic on the reporter’s part,.. remember he was the guy who asked Obama a question so utterly groveling, even the press corp laughed at him about it. When Santorum called him on why he was deliberately misquoting him, he both had no answer and then doubled down on his blatant distortion..

I read that thread gobsmacked, that the bitter hyper partisanship was so out of control, we had my fellow Romney supporters actually going to the matt to defend the “integrity” of the NYT’s..

Really?

The same NYT’s which tried to rig the 08 election, which hunts and smears conservatives for sport?.. That the outrage so many Romney supporters have for any voices opposing Romney as the nominee is so great.. they defend the most leftwing daily in the country just to get one more slap at Santorum?

Can’t we at least agree not to call each other liars when someone says the sun rises in the East?

Well it’s Zeleny who is always enchanted with Obama’s answers, he’s the new generation of Clymer. From the linked Dyer piece, it seems Putin, or some of his Siloviki retainers, is making a big play into Georgia,

if by some stroke of fate Santorum is the nominee, would you vote for him?.. or say something similar?

I figure there’s not a crime associated with hyperbole and letting people say what makes them feel better as long as it’s personal and attacking nobody.. a simple, I understand how you feel works much better than mocking them.

Mark…that was just me tweaking people…You know me that I am not a flame thrower as some supporters of candidates on here are…

Also I liked RS “fire” against NYT reporter but was just curious why he was upset about being taken out of context while he was enjoying doing it against Romney.

As far as this interview though, Romney was spot on as I watched the entire interview over here and and the follow on interview with Mary Matalin and Paul Begala. Begala of course tried to do the typical pile on as a good Dem would but Mary swatted these attempts away and agreed with Romney that Russia is our BIGGEST GEO-POLITICAL threat NOT our biggest ideological or terrorist threat. :o)

At this point, gratuitous slaps at Santorum aren’t necessary.. they just inflame his supporters. Besides, I rather enjoyed someone finally telling the NYT’s the truth when they ask their strawman questions..

I’d certainly support Romney in a similar context.

mark81150 on March 27, 2012 at 8:56 AM

I’m sorry, but whether Richard was misquoted or taken out of context was of no merit for me in this BS saga. He continually lies about Romney’s stated position. The FACT of the matter is that Romney IS MORE QUALIFIED than ANYONE – including Richard- to get into the HC debate with the DNC- and speak from experience. That’s what executive experience is all about Richard- Having done some before and learning from it. Experience is required, PBHO found that out quick.

The real straw is saying Romney is “lying” that he won’t repeal HC
IF congress does their part and sends a repeal bill to PMWR, and
SCOTUS says its constitutional and can go forward- who is Santorum to say Romney will not do what he has promised in his campaign all along. BS !

Calling someone a liar, even rhetorically, is BS and a desperate Santo shouldn’t be allowed to get away with that. This is what he bases his whole campaign attack on, and can’t allow people to believe Romney will stay true to his word. Right, as president Romney will LIE on day 1 and say ObieCare OK.
I would bitch slap sweater vest around if he continually called me a liar and use a national spotlight to do it. No sympathy for dishonest politicians here.

I’ll never understand his supporters. JannyMae the other night was making a somewhat pro-Romney supportive remarks but someone thought it was more important to try to rub her nose in some previous comment she’d made. It does make you wonder about the tin foil comments people make about people like bluegill actually trying to drive support away from Mitt Romney.

hawkdriver on March 27, 2012 at 12:03 AM

I don’t get why some of the other Romney voters do this either..

I like JannyMae’s comments, she’s never gratuitous in her criticism or unfair, certainly well within the bounds of civility. I have never had an issue with her.

Bluegill is Bluegill, like some of the others, incapable of basic humility and empathy. It’s beat down any opposition by any means fair or foul. I’ve made numerous comments attempting to reach Bluegill, and get snarky replies, if at all, about “you people and your ilk”.. not a very thoughtful reply.

I’m left wondering if Bluegill is 14, or just another Obama voter here to create hard feelings and discord. When I swore off deliberately offending or insulting them here, I wasn’t kidding. I’ve always loved Hotair, and disagree or not with people, I do like having friends on different sides. It helps give you insights into your own blind spots, and generally, everyone here wants the best for this country, we just disagree about how to get there..

The hard left are the only real bad faith players.. a deliberate lie is the only dis-qualifier as far as I’m concerned,.. and some go there..

We really don’t need to hate each other to get where we need to be, It’s making the fact we need to rally for November much harder. The only advice I humbly offer my side is, try and be a bit more tolerant and less mocking of peoples concerns about Romney. A lot of us have some, with all the candidates, even with Mitt. Mocking and snarking people for that isn’t helpful when .. no matter how much some would like to boot their adversaries off the voting registry,.. we need ALL their votes in the fall.

This “we don’t need you” stuff is stupid… yes we do.. to throw away voters is insane since we don’t know what will happen between now and November. It may sooth some folks fragile ego’s to sneer that little chunk of illogical nonsense, but it’s a losers strategy Romney himself would disavow.

We need everyone,.. and let the primaries continue without the need to be shrill about everyone else quiting.. people have the right to be heard, and I’d rather support a candidate who understands that then one who doesn’t. Rick’s and Newt’s voters are destroying the party, listening to all only makes it stronger in the end.. Romney can be proud and say we all had our opinions heard, and now that it’s over, I ask for your help in defeating Obama.. our common interest.

Russia is a old power that is run by a bunch of ex-KGB goons who want a return to the good ol’ days of the Cold War. They want so badly to rival us that they forget they should be working with us in the fight against Islamists as they too have been victim to Islamic terror.

Rick’s and Newt’s voters arearen’t destroying the party, listening to all only makes it stronger in the end.. Romney can be proud and say we all had our opinions heard, and now that it’s over, I ask for your help in defeating Obama.. our common interest.

We can sort out the rest after we win.

mark81150 on March 27, 2012 at 10:14 AM

oops.. typo..

I just think this talk about dissenting from Romney being the nominee is hurting the party is nonsense. It’s the primary process at work, it’s like saying allowing the opposition in a public debate forum time for rebuttal is “hurting” the party..

How is allowing a free and open debate about who our leader is, hurting anything?

If this were AFTER the convention, and the anti-Romney base were still fighting on like Kamikazes.. then there would be a point.. but the debate isn’t over till then.. and cutting it short is both unfair to the opposition and undemocratic..

I get the notion, we need to rally now and start going after Obama, I just think it’s wrong, and it looks less than genuine because it’s our guy who’s ahead right now. so stopping a prize fight in the 4th or 5th round because one guy has more points than the other would be considered cheating by most.. we just need to let the primaries play out, and let the best candidate win.